Electromagnetic counter



July 31, 1962 w. A. RAY ETAL 3,047,224

ELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTER Filed Feb. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PAY o/vo Ml ON July 31, 1962 w. A. RAY ETAL 4 ELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTER Filed Feb. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOAQS, MLL/AM A. PA Y 5U2/VELL J. h/oLLne PAY/7on0 M ON 3 A TTOQ/YE 15 3,047,224 ELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTER William A. Ray, North Hollywood, Calif., and Burnell J.

Wollar, Barrington, and Raymond Wilson, Niles, Ill., assignors to General Controls Co., Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 795,414

4 Claims. (Cl. 235-92) This invention rel-ates to electromagnetic operators of the pivoted-armature type, and more particularly to electromagnetic devices adapted for operating registering or counting devices.

An object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic operator which, while extremely compact and simple, is capable of producing a relatively long but powerful stroke; this object being accomplished, in general, by providing an electromagnet a portion of whose core is substantially straight and has a pole-face at one end, and by arranging an armature so that it can rock in a plane perpendicular to this core-portion and cooperate with a United States Patent side of this portion adjacent said pole-face, instead of with the pole-face itself.

Another object is to provide an electromagnetic operator, of the character described in the preceding object, whereinthe range of movement of the armature relative to the core is relatively large, while the working gap between these parts does not become proportionately large when the electromagnet is deenergized, so that the efiiciency of the operator is high. We accomplish this object by making said core-portion cylindrical and by shaping the cooperating part of the armature so that it conforms generally to the curvature of this core-portion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic operator of the general character described above wherein the armature is rockable, selectively, in either direction from a normal position to which it is biased.

Another object is to provide means whereby said selective rocking of the armature is effected in accordance with the direction of current supplied to the electromagnet, the armature then being at least in part of permanentmagnet material.

Another object is to provide an electromagnetic operator, capable of selectively eifecting movement of a device in opposite directions, comprising a single electromagnet and a pair of cooperating armatures operable individually in accordance with the direction of current' supplied to the electromagnet.

Another object is to combine a counting device with each of the electromagnetic operators described above to provide compact, reliable, high-speed electromagnetic counters.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, and from the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view from the top, taken along the lin 1-1 of FIG. of an electromagnetic counter embodying features of this invention; a

\ FIGURE 2 is a view of the structure of FIG. 1 taken in the same manner as in that figure but showing the parts in the positions to which theyare moved when the electromagnet 12, 13 is energized;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is'a view, taken in the same manner as in FIG. 1, of a modified electromagneticv counter according toour invention;

FIGURES 5 and 6, and FIGURES 7 and '8 are views, taken in'the same manner .as in FIGS. 1 and 3 respecthe armature.

3,041,224 Patented July 31, 1962 tively, of two further modiiied electromagnetic counters according to our invention; and 1 p I FIGURES 9 and 10, and FIGURES 11 and 12, are more-or-less diagrammatic top and front showings of two still-further modified forms of electromagnetic op erators according to our invention.

In FIGS. 1-3 the numeral 11 indicates a base plate, preferably of nonmagnetic material, on which is mounted an electromagnet comprising a cylindrical core 12 and an annular energizing coil 13 around the lower portion of the core. Core 12 has a reduced bottom portion 14 which serves as a rivet to secure the core to the base with one arm of an L-shaped bracketlS therebetween, this bracket being of magnetic material and forming a flux-conducting extension of the core.

On the top of the electromagnet is a plate 16, of nonmagnetic material and coextensive with base 11, which is secured to core 12 by a rivet-forming extension 17 of the same. At the underside of plate 16, and pivotally mounted on a shouldered rivet 18 secured to the plate, is a fiat member 19 of magnetic material having at its left a croo'k shaped armature portion 20 cooperable with the side of core 12 above coil 13, adjacent the fiat .end or pole-face of the core. The rivet 18 is of magnetic material and its head 21 is disposed closely adjacent the top of the vertical arm of core-bracket 15 to augment the path for magnetic flux through the electromagnet and The member 19 is clearanced from plate 16 by a washer 22 around the rivet 18.

Mounted between base 111 and plate 16 at the right of the electromagnet is a counting device 23, which may be of the well known Veeder type, having a plurality of number wheels 24. Actual numbers on the wheels, as well as carry-over means between the individual wheels, have been omitted for the sake of simplicity. At its top the counting device has, for its operation, a ten-toothed star wheel 25.

The portion of member 19 at the right of its pivot 'is formed to provide a bifurcated pawl comprising a pair of teeth 26 and 27 alternately engageable with teeth at opposite sides of the star wheel 25. The armature-pawl member 19 is normally in the position shown in FIG. 1 under the force of a tension spring 28 connected by its ends to the member and to a pin 29 secured to plate 16, rocking of the member under the force of this bias being limited by engagement of the pawl tooth 27 with the star wheel. p

When the electromagnet is energized by passage of current (which may be AC. or DC) through its coil 13, the armature portion of member 19 is attracted to the side of core 12 so that the member rock-s clockwise about its pivot. In this movement of the member the pawl tooth 27 is withdrawn from the star wheel and the other tooth 26 engages the'adjacent tooth of the .wheel and drives the same in clockwise direction until the moving parts reach their final positions, as shown in FIG. 2', with tooth 26 in a valley between the starewheel teeth and firmly engaging the wheel. The arrangement is preferably such that there is then a small air-gap between the armature portion 20 and the side of core 12.

When the electromagnetis subsequently deenergized the member .19 rocks counterclockwise under the. force of spring 28 so that pawl tooth 26 is withdrawn-from the star wheel and the, other tooth 27 engages the adjacent tooth of the wheel and drives the same in clockwise direction. i

A full cycle of operation of'the electromagnet effects movement of the counter through one-tenth of arevolution, it being moved through slightly more than onetwentieth of a revolution when the electromagnet is energized, and through a' complemental tangle upon deener- "ice gi zationof the electromagnet. The mass of member 19 at opposite sides of its pivot is substantially balanced so that there is little tendency -for the member to rebound in operation.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the edge 30 of the armature portion of member 19 is shaped to conform generally to the curvature of core 12. By so shaping this portion the magnetic linkage between the armature and the core is increased, and the working gap between these parts does not become excessive even when the armature is required to rock through a relatively large angle, as in the operation of a counting device. The edge 31 of the armature adjacent its tip is formed so that it does not pass very close to the core when the armature is attracted.

In FIG. 4, which is a view (taken in the same manner as in FIG. 1) of a modified embodiment of our invention, the numeral 40 indicates a base supporting an electro magnet, comprising a cylindrical core 41 and an energizing .coil 42, with which electromagnet the armature portion device 45 of the same kind as that shown in FIGS. l-3

but having a different form of star wheel 46 with which a pivoted pawl 47, carried by member 44, cooperates in a conventional manner; there being also a retaining pawl 48 as is required in this arrangement since the counter is driven (through one-tenth revolution) only during the power stroke of the armature-pawl member 44. This member 44 is biased by a tension spring 49 into engagement with a stop 50, there being another stop- 51 limiting clockwise rocking of the member in response to energization of the electromagnet.

In the further-modified form of our invention shown in FIGS. and 6 there is, mounted on one end of a base 52, an electromagnet comprising a cylindrical core 53 and an energizing coil 54. At the underside of the top plate 55 of the counter is a pair of crossed arms 56 and 57 pivotally mounted generally at their middle on a pin 58 secured to the top plate, the crossed portions of the arms being maintained in spaced relation to each other by a nonmagnetic washer.

The left-hand ends 56 and 57' of arms 56, 57 are crook-shaped and arranged to cooperate with opposite sides of core 53, while the right-hand ends 56" and 57" of the arms are shaped and arranged to cooperate, as pawls, with a star wheel 59 for operating a conventional counting device 60 mounted on the other end of the base. As is better seen in FIG. 6, the end portions of each of arms 56, 57 are preferably bent so that they are in a common plane. A spring 61 compressed between the armportions 56", 57" biases the arms into engagement with individual stops 62 and 63 on the top plate.

The arms 56 and 57 are of permanent-magnet material and are polarized as indicated in the drawing by the letters N and S. In operation of this counter theelectromagnet 53, 54 is energized by direct current only. When the'direction of flow of this current is such that the top of core 53 has an S polarity the arm 56, whose end 56' adjacent the core has an N polarity, is attracted toward the side of the core so that the pawl end 56" of the arm engages the star wheel 59 and drives it in counter clockwise direction to initiate a movement of addition in the counting device. When the electromagnet is then deenergized the arm 56 returns to its biased position and a spring-loaded carry-over member 64 effects completion of the counting cycle in a usual manner. In this (adding) operation of the counter the other arm 57, whose end 57' adjacentthe core is of S polarity, remains stationary since the electromagnetic force is then in a. direction to repel it.

end assumes an N polarity and arm 57 is attracted to efiect clockwise rotation of the star wheel.

The arms 56, 57 may be wholly of permanent-magnet material, or the portions 56", 57" may be of other mate rial and rigidly joined to the remainder of the arms. To avoid possible magnetic sticking, direct engagement of the arms with the core may be prevented by means of suitable stops (not shown) arranged in generally the same manner as stops 62, 63, or by means of a thin sleeve of nonmagnetic material around the upper part of the core.

In the modification of FIGS. 7 and 8 there are two individually energizable electromagnets mounted side by side on a base 65. One of these electromagnets comprises a cylindrical core 66 and associated coil 67, the

other a similar core 68 and coil 69. Mounted on a pivot pin 70, depending from the undeside of the top plate 71 at a point equidistant from cores 66 and 68, is a flat member 72 of magnetic material having crook portions 73 and 74 arranged to cooperate with a side of the respective cores.

At its right-hand end the member 72 is formed to provide a pair of fingers or pawls 75 and 76 cooperable with a star wheel 77 operatively connected to a counting device 78 mounted on the base. The member 72 is normally held in the position shown in the drawing, with its crook portions 73, 74 equidistant from the respective cores, by the force of a relatively straight piece of spring wire 79 bearing against the straight edge of a rearward extension 80 of the member, the ends of wire 79 being bent and inserted in openings through the top plate 71.

To effect addition, the electromagnet 66, 67 is energized so that the crook portion 73 of member 72 is attracted toward core 66, and by engagement of pawl 75 with the star wheel the same is turned in counterclockwise direction. A spring-loaded carry-over member 81 is provided to complete the movement of the star wheel when the electromagnet is deenergized. Rotation of the star wheel in the opposite direction, to effect subtraction, is accomplished in a similar manner by energization of the other N and S) rockable in the general plane of the exposed To effect subtraction, the polarity of the direct current upper portion of core 82 and with that portion between its side arms. The permanent magnet 87 has an extension 88 adapted to carry on its outer end (not shown) means, such as the pawls 75, 76 shown in FIGS. 7-8, for actuating a counter assembly of the kind shown in those figures. This permanent magnet is normally maintained in the position shown, with its arms equidistant from the sides of core 82, by the force of a straight spring 89 fixed at its outer end (not shown) and having its other and disposed between a pair of pins 90 secured to the extension 88.

When the electromagnet 82, 83 is energized by passage of direct current in a direction to produce an N pole at core 82, the permanent magnet is rocked in clockwise direction due to attraction of its 5 arm toward the core and repulsion of its N arm. If the direction of the current is reversed, the permanent magnet will obviously rock in an opposite direction. This permanent magnet may be relatively weak since its polarization need be only sufficient to ensure that 'it moves in the right direction when the electromagnet is energized.

In the modification of FIGS. 11 and 12 there is a single substantially U-shaped electromagnet formed by a pair of cylindrical cores 91 and 92 and a base plate 93, of magnetic material, having openings in which the lower ends of these cores are pressed. Around each of the cores is a coil, indicated at 94 and 95, which it is to be assumed magnet.

are interconnected in series or in parallel for joint energization of the electromagnet. Pivotally supported on a post 96 secured to the base is an H-shaped permanent magnet 97, polarized as indicated by the letters N and S, disposed with the upper ends of the cores between the respective opposite ends of the arms of the permanent Secured, as by welding, to the permanent magnet is an arm 98 to which pawl means for actuating a counter wheel may be connected. It is to be assumed that the permanent magnet 97 is biased to the position shown in the drawing by means such as those shown in the arrangement of FIGS. 7-8 or of FIGS. 9-10.

Upon passage of current through the coils 94, 95 in a direction to produce an N magnetic pole at core 91 and an S pole at core 92, the permanent magnet rocks clockwise under the magnetic attraction of its left-hand S end prevent the possibility of magnetic sticking of the parts 1 when the electromagnet is deenergized.

The embodiments of our invention hereinshown and described are obviously susceptible of modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, and We intend therefore that no limitation be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an electromagnetic counter: a base; anelectromagnet adapted to be energized by direct current of se- It is oblected polarity, mounted on one end of said base; said electromagnet comprising an elongated core projecting perpendicularly'from a surface of the base, and an energizing coil around said core and arranged so that a part of the core adjacent one of its ends is exposed; a pair of elongated armature members each pivotally mounted on said base so that it can rock in a plane parallel to that of said base-surface and in the general plane of said exposed part of the core; each of said armature members having adjacent one of its ends a portion of permanent-magnet material disposed adjacent a side of said exposed part of the core, said armature-member portions being ofopposite polarity and disposed at opposite sides of said corepart, the other ends of the armature members extending toward the other end of said base; and a counting device mounted on said other end of the base and having actuating means operable by said other ends of the armature members.

2. An electromagnetic counter according to claim 1 V wherein said core is cylindrical, and each of said armature-member portions is shaped to conform generally to the curvature of said sides of the exposed part of the core.

' wherein said armature members are disposed in crossed relation to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 649,031 Young May a, 1900 1,053,340 Ziegler Feb. 18, 1913 35 1,743,478 Pratt Jan. 14, 1930 Kamm Feb. 27, 1951 

